Reading is my favourite pastime. I always have one or two books on the go, and I have a good selection of literature and history books on my shelf. From time to time, I like to revisit some of the authors and books I have read years ago, just to get a fresh perspective on them. Often, I find I have forgotten most of the story anyway!
One of the first authors I explored was W. Somerset Maugham. I cannot recall exactly how or when I was induced to look into one of his stories; it may have been a passing reference in something else I was reading at the time, or it could have been a recommendation of a friend. At any rate, I have most of his novels and the complete collection of his short stories. If nothing else, Maugham was a master of the short story.
Some of my other favourite classic authors are: Joseph Conrad, James Fennimore Cooper, Edgar Allan Poe, and Robert Louis Stevenson, just to name a few.
Currently, I have ‘discovered’ an excellent Canadian author in Raymond Fraser, who is a native of New Brunswick where I am currently residing. I own a couple of his books (signed copies from when I recently met him) and I have been searching for used copies of his older works online, which brings me to the point of this blog post.
Local libraries are great sources for books, of course, but if you want to possess a copy of a book for a reasonable price, I recommend searching online for books, new or used. Some of my favourite sites are:
- AbeBooks (“Passion for Books”)
- BetterWorldBooks (whose books support worldwide literacy)
- Alibris (Used books, textbooks, rare and out of print books)
- ThriftBooks (“Read more, Spend Less”)
- eBay
With the help of the Internet, buying books has never been easier!
James is the owner of WindowsTalk.org and has been a Microsoft Windows Consumer MVP since 2003.
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